1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a mounting structure for a vehicle electrical connection box for supplying power to vehicle electrical components including door lock units.
2. Description of the Related Art
A vehicle such as an automobile has an electrical connection box mounted as a relay means for supplying power to various vehicle electrical components. For example, the electrical connection box for vehicle electrical components including door lock units is, in many cases, mounted to a cowl side because of limitations in mounting space and for the optimization of power distribution to each electrical component.
FIG. 1 shows a conventional mounting structure for an electrical connection box as described in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. 4-58033. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a dash panel serving as a partition between the engine space in the front portion of the vehicle and the compartment rearward thereof, 2 a cowl side panel, and 6 an indicator panel. An electrical connection box 3 is screwed to the side panel 2 via a mounting member 5 extended from a box body 4.
When the vehicle with the electrical connection box 3 mounted to the cowl side as described above comes into collision with something at its front portion, the dash panel 1 is pushed by a component of the engine space (such as the engine) in a rearward direction, directly impacting on the box body 4. The dash panel 1 pushed back further crushes in on the mounting space of the electrical connection box 3, destroying the box body 4 in a stroke. As a result, power supply to the vehicle electrical components stops, and the door locks etc. cannot be released, preventing the speedy rescue of the vehicle""s occupants.
It is an object of this invention to provide a mounting structure for a vehicle electrical connection box which can minimize damage to the electrical connection box when the vehicle receives impact upon collision or the like, in order to protect circuits inside the box, thereby maintaining power supply to each load.
According to a first technical aspect of this invention, there is provided a mounting structure for a vehicle electrical connection box, for protecting the electrical connection box upon collision of the vehicle, having a protruding member provided to a box body of the electrical connection box, the protruding member being arranged to receive the impact of a collision before the box body does, and at least one mounting member extended from the box body and fixed to a part of the vehicle at the front end thereof, wherein, a portion of force of the impact received by the protruding member acts on the mounting member in a direction intersecting a longitudinal direction of the mounting member.
According to a second technical aspect of this invention, there is provided a mounting structure for a vehicle electrical connection box which is arranged rearward of and in the vicinity of a dash panel serving as a partition between the engine space of the vehicle and the adjacent compartment, having a protruding member provided to a box body of the electrical connection box, the protruding member being arranged to receive the impact of a collision of the vehicle before the box body does, and at least one mounting member extended from the box body and fixed to a part of the vehicle at a front end thereof, wherein, the electrical connection box is fixed to a cowl side panel via the mounting member extended from the box body, and a portion of force of the impact received by the protruding member acts on the mounting member in a direction intersecting a longitudinal direction of the mounting member.
According to a third technical aspect of this invention, the protruding member is provided with at least one reinforcing rib extending along the direction in which the impact is transmitted.
According to a fourth technical aspect of this invention, at least a portion of the mounting member extends in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the impact is transmitted upon collision of the vehicle.